Train-controlling system.



W. 0. MBDFORD. TRAIN CONTROLLING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED MAILM, 1910.

s SHEETSIBHEELQQQI Patented May 23, 1911..

INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEY.

W. 0. MEDPORD. TRAIN CONTROLLING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED MAB.14,1910.

993,266. Patented May 23, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY W. O. 'MEDFORD.

'TRAIN CONTROLLING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED M11314, 1910.

993,266, Patented May 23, 1911.

3 SHEETS-BHEET 3.

i n mm! WITNESSES INVEN OR 4. MM 4 ATTORNEY To all whom "it may coiicern:

UNITED srnrnsra'rnntr orrron Warno o. MEDFOBD, be sroiaann. wa sirrive roiv.

' mam-swamp EM? Specification of Letters ?atent.

Patented May 23; 1911.

Application niea'nmh 14,1910. Serial N6. 54 9,1821

Be it known that'I', WALDO O. Mnorono, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spokane, in the county .of Spokane and Stateof. Washington, have invented certain new and" -i1sefu1 Improvements in Train- Controlling Systems, of which the followlng is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of train-controlling systems whlch operate to automatically apply the brakes of a train entering a block already occupied by another train, the train firstentering the block setting a trip at the remote end. of the block,

so that a second train entering the block from said eild will be automatically brought to a stop by having its brakes applied.

' It is the object of the-present invention to provideimproved means. for controlling the trip, electro-magnets being provided for locking and releasing the same, together with devices operated by the first train entering thefblock for controlling the magnets.

The invention also has for its object to provide means for adjusting certain parts so that a service stop or an emergency stop may be had.

Other obyects and advantages will be'aI p-h parent when the. nature of the invention is .better understood.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is-shown in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that various changes, and modifications in the structural details may be resorted to without a departure from the invention;-

' In the drawings, Figure 1 is a diagram showing the electric circuits employed. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of a tender showing the equipment thereon. Figs. 3 and a are details of a circuitclosing device, Fig. 3 being an end view, and Fig. 4 a longitudinal section. Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional and plan views, respectively, of the trip. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the-valve-operating devices. Fig. 8 is a sectional detail of applied by a reduction of pressure in a train.

another circuit-closer. Fig. 9v is another diagram showing by arrows the how of the electric current through the system. 7

The invention is .intended for' application to trains equipped fwith a fluid-pressure brake apparatus which the brakes are pipe, this reduction of pressure i being fefiected by opening .a valve lIl said train pipe.

,gency application of the brakes.

the drawings, 1-,. in Fig. 2, denotes the train pipe which runs along-the entire train,

and is fitted, beneath the tender, 2, with a valve 3, which, when opened, permits escape of air from the train pipeto reduce the pressure therein, and thus-effect the application of the brakes. 'To the stem'ot the 1 valve 3 is fastened, mi way between its ends,

a lever l,to each end ofwhich is pivotally connected, at one of its ends, a link 5, hav

'ing a slot 6 ,at its other end. To the slotted portion of the link is adjustably connected a horizontal arm 7 located at the upper end of a rock-shatt- 8 supported vertically by a hearing bracket 9' depending from the ten der. Atthe lower end of the rock-shaft is dl'lOthGlvl'lOIlZOlltfll arm 10 which extends in the opposite direction from the arm 7, The arm'lO pr'ojectsoutwardly a sufficient'distance so that'it may be engaged by 'a trip 11 located adjacent to the track, on one side thereof. When this trip strikes the arm 10,

the shaft 8 is rocked, and through the arm 7,

link 5,. and lever l, opens the valve 3 toreduce the train-pipe pressure, and this set the brakes; The extent of the opening movement of the valve is regulated by adjusting the; connection between the link 5 and the arm 7 It is.- thereforepossible toadjust the parts forv a service or an emer- A rockshaft and associate parts are located on both sides or the tender so that the apparatus may operate with the train going in either direction.

The tripll is a stem pivoted at 12 on'a bracket 13 in abox 1 L, vthe latter having a cover '15 in which is a slot 16 through which thefstem extends. The stem is pivoted to swing in a vertical plane parallel to the track, and it rises a suitable distance from the box so asto extend into the path of the. part 10, the box being properly located with respect to the track for this purpose. The stem is held normally erect by a spring-17,

fastened at one end to the lower end of the fere with the swing of the stem. One] branch 21 of the angle lever has a laterally projecting finger 22, which, when extended across the stem, on one side, prevents itfrom swinging to that side. To the branch 21 is operatively connected an electro-magnet or solenoid 23 for the purpose of-swinging the stem and thus prevent thelatter from swinging in, that direction. The box 14 also contains a contact 26 which is so positioned that it is engaged by a contact'27 carried by the stem 11 when the latter swings in one direction. The contact 26 is connected by a wire 28 toone of the members of a circuit-closing device A mounted in close proximity to one of the track rails B so as to be actuated by the wheels of a passing train. This circuit closing device comprises two plungers 29,

vertically supported in a box 30 placed close to the rail. The plungers project through openings in the top of the box and are connected on the outside thereof by a plate 31. The plungers are slidable 'up and down, and the plate 31 is so located with respect to the rail 28, that the wheels of a passing train will engage said plate and depress the plungers. The plungers are held elevated above contacts 33 by means of springs 34 coiled around the plungers between shoulders thereon, and the floor of the box, the contacts 33 being located on said fioor in line with, and beneath the lower ends of the plungers. and. said contacts being engaged by the plungerswhen they are depressed as stated. The wire 28 is connected to the plungers 29, and to the contacts 33 is connected a wire 35. When the plungers are depressed and engage the contacts 33, the wires 28 and 35 are electrically connected. 'To the contact 27 is connected a wire 36 which branches off from a wire 37. 'The wire 35 branches off from a wire 38.

The circuit-closer A is located on one side of the trip devicell, and on the opposite side of said device is located a similar circuit-closer, shown diagrammatically at B in Figs. 1 and 9, and designed to make elec trical connection between a wire 40 branching oil from the wire 38, and a wire 41 leading to a contact 42' located in a box 43 in which is mounted a normally erect stem 44 extending through a slot 45 in the top of the box, and rising a suitable distance therefrom, and so located that it may be engaged by the part 10. This stem is held normally erect by a spring 46 in the same manner as the stem 11. The stem 44 carries a contact 47 adapted to engage the contact 42 when wire 48 leads to the release magnet 23, and

from the latter, a wire 49 leads to a wire 50. One pole of a battery or other source of electric energy 51 is connected by a wire 52 to the wire 38, and the other pole is connected by a wire 53 to the wire 50. The locking magnet 25 is in a circuit including a wire 54 branching off a wire 55 and a wire 56 branchingfrom the wire 50.

The trackway to which the apparatus is applied is divided into blocks, and a track apparatus as herein described is located at one end of the block, and also duplicated at the other end of the block. The trip corre sponding to the trip 11 is indicated at 11", and its release and locking magnets at 23 and 25", respectively. The release magnet is in a branch circuit comprising wires 57 and 58, respectively, the former being connected to a contact 47 similar to the contact 47, and carried by a stem 44 similar to the stem 44, and the wire 58 being connected to the wire 50. A contact 42 similar to the contact 42 is connected by a wire 59 to a circuit closing device C, similar to the device A,"to which a wire 60 leads from the wire 38. The locking magnet '25? is in a branch circuit includinga wire 61 leading from the wire 37, and a wire 62 connected to the wire 50. The box containing the trip 11 also contains contacts 26 and 27 similar to the contacts 26 and 27, the contact 27 being connected by a wire 63 to the wire 55, t

and the contact 26 by a wire 64 to a circuitcloser D similar to the circuit-closer A and connected by wire 65 to the wire 38. The stems 44 and 44 are free to swing in either direction, and the stems 11 and .11 are always free to swing in a direction to let a train pass out of the block without having no its brakes applied. The valve 3 works sufficiently tight so that it will not be opened by the light tap given the part 10 by the trips 11 or 11 when the train passes out of the block. The springs 34 are sufliciently strong so that the weight of the engine or tender is necessary to depress the plungers to close the circuit. This is 'to prevent any tampering with the device;

The system operates as follows: Assume a train is entering the block from the east. The wheels upon passing over the circuitcloser A close the circuit at this point, but the apparatus remains inactive as the circuit is open between the contacts 26 and 27.

The circuit-closer A and the stem 11 will be so located with respect to each other that when the circuit is closed betwcen26 and 27 by the part 10 swinging the stem 11 even a wheel of the tender will bedepressing the plungers 29 to close the circuit at A. The 

